History shows that the Bani Umayya, led by the likes of Muawiyah and Marwan, tried to arouse the passions of the lay Muslims against Aal Muhammad (a.s.) through some means or the other. One of their ploys was to weaponize the murder of Usman Ibn Affan against Aal Muhammad (a.s.) and make it seem like Ali and Hasanain (peace by upon them) were responsible for his death.
Who was responsible for Usman’s murder?
At the outset it bears mentioning that Usman’s murder was a result of two factors:
Firstly, Usman’s own blunders and mismanagement, which was foretold by Umar in his lifetime, but Umar nonetheless thought it necessary to engineer Usman’s selection in the Shura and eliminate Ali (a.s.) in one stroke. (Kitab al-Irshad under Chapters of Shura)
Next, by Muawiyah, who refused to entertain Usman’s pleas for help even though Usman’s house siege lasted for a good 40/50 days leaving Muawiyah with enough time to send in forces to rescue his cousin. But Muawiyah had other plans – he wanted to see Usman go, so that he could either lay claim as ‘caliph’ of Muslims or continue to rule Syria as an independent sovereign by expanding his dominion to other Muslim areas with the caliphate void created in Medina with Usman’s murder.
Terrorizing Ali (a.s.)
The first member of the Ahle Bait (a.s.) who was terrorized on pretext of Usman’s murder was Ameerul Momineen (a.s.).
First by Ayesha – who used Usman’s murder as an opportunity to challenge Ali (a.s.) over caliphate and this was evident to all.
Ummul Momineen – Umm Salma (r.a.) to Ayesha when Ayesha invited Umm Salma (r.a.) to join her in the Basra expedition (Battle of Jamal) against Ameerul Momineen (a.s.):
O daughter of Abu Bakr! Is it the blood of Usman you are seeking? You used to be the severest of the people against him, and were calling for renouncing (Tabarra) him (i.e. Usman). Or is it (in fact) the command of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) you are trying to violate? The Muhajireen and Ansar have already pledged allegiance to him (a.s.).
- Al-Ikhtesaas p 116
- Behar al-Anwar v 32 p 162-164
Then Muawiyah incited the Syrians against Ali (a.s.) on pretext of Usman’s murder.
Muawiyah hung the blood-stained shirt and severed fingers of Usman Ibn Affan on the pulpit and the Syrians mourned him for one year. Over this period, they vowed that they would not rest on their beds till they kill or are killed to avenge Usman’s killing (against Ali (a.s.).
- Tarikh al-Tabari v 3 p 70
- Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh v 3 p 161
Terrorizing Imam Hasan (a.s.)
Fourteen years after Usman’s killing in 50 A.H., when it was time to bury Imam Hasan (a.s.), Marwan Ibn Hakam, who was the governor of Medina, the very city from where he was expelled by Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), raged against the Bani Hashim:
Should Usman be buried in the outskirts of Medina and Ḥasan (a.s.) be buried alongside the Prophet (s.a.w.a.)? That will never be while I carry a sword.
- Kitab al-Irshad v 2 p 18
Terrorizing Imam Husain (a.s.)
Twenty-five years after Usman’s killing in 61 A.H., Ibn Ziyad, the governor of Kufa, in his letter to Umar Ibn Saad, his commander in Karbala instructs:
Prevent Ḥusain (a.s.) and his followers from (getting) water. Do not let them taste a drop of it just as was done with Usman Ibn Affan.
- Al-Amali of Shaikh Sadooq (r.a.) Majlis No. 30
The enemies of Ahle Bait (a.s.) portray Usman as the oppressed one, as a counter to Imam Husain’s (a.s.) martyrdom in a state of oppression and thirst and like Shias have mourning assemblies for Imam Husain (a.s.), they compete with their assemblies for Usman.
Terrorizing Imam Mahdi (a.s.)
Thousands of years after Usman’s killing, in the lead up to Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) reappearance, Satan will announce in a voice that will be heard…
‘Behold the truth is with Usman Ibn Affan and his followers’ leaving people doubtful of the truth.
- Kitab al-Irshad v 1 p 372-373
- Wasail al-Shia v 5 p 358
Usman suffers the indignity of being one of those people who caused untold damage, to Islam and Aal Muhammad (a.s.), in lifetime as also in death. The enemies of Ahle Bait (a.s.) were so woefully short of any excellence or virtues (in fact they lacked any) that when they could not claim precedence over Ahle Bait (a.s.) through any means, they used Usman’s killing to nullify Ahle Bait’s (a.s.) virtues and terrorize them by holding them responsible for his killing.